People’s Pharmacy: Doctor recommends Vicks VapoRub for nighttime cough

Q. I was struggling with a cough for six weeks, especially at night when I was lying down. After two fruitless visits to urgent care, I finally went to my primary care doctor.

He diagnosed walking pneumonia and prescribed a powerful antibiotic and some meds to heal my throat, because it was irritated from the coughing. When I told him about how bad it was at night, he recommended Vicks VapoRub on the bottom of my feet when I went to bed. I thought he was joking, but he told me it worked for him and urged me to give it a try.

I did so that very night and I’m telling you it was like magic! I had gotten up five straight nights to sit up because my coughing was so bad. I slept through the night with Vicks with little to no coughing every night thereafter.

A. Thanks for sharing your success story! Eucalyptol, thymol and menthol are ingredients in Vicks, and they can help ease a cough. The question is why apply it to your feet? These compounds activate transient receptor potential channels found in nerves that are plentiful in the soles.

You will learn more about Vicks and other nonprescription approaches to calming a cough in our “eGuide to Colds, Coughs & the Flu.” This online resource may be found under the Health eGuides tab at www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.

Q. When I was diagnosed with prediabetes, my doctor prescribed Rybelsus. It’s also supposed to help with weight loss.

I developed five kidney stones and then a month later, another cluster of stones. Both times, I needed surgery and stents for the stones. I am prone to kidney stones. In the past, I have gotten them every four or five years, not two months apart.

I stopped taking Rybelsus while going through this trauma, but I do want to take something for weight loss and diabetes. Every drug I read about has kidney problems as a side effect. Can you suggest a medication I could try without developing these horrible kidney stones?

A. Rybelsus is an oral (pill) form of semaglutide, a drug that is better recognized by the brand names of its injectable forms, Ozempic and Wegovy. There is no mention of kidney stones in the prescribing information for these drugs.

On the other hand, a large trial compared different types of diabetes drugs with respect to the risk of kidney stones (JAMA Internal Medicine, Jan. 29, 2024). This research revealed that some drugs are less likely to trigger kidney stone formation than others. You might ask your doctor about different diabetes medicines, such as dapagliflozin (Farxiga) or empagliflozin (Jardiance), known as SGLT2 inhibitors.

People with Type 2 diabetes are susceptible to kidney stones. SGLT2 inhibitors aren’t perfect for protecting kidneys, but they are less likely to cause stones.

Q. I’ve had eczema for years, and it did not respond to any treatment I tried. Finally, I found a dermatologist willing to prescribe Opzelura cream. Within a week, all my red itchy patches were cleared! When any new patches start, I apply the cream and they are gone in a few days. What do you know about this treatment?

A. This drug is called a JAK (janus kinase) inhibitor. That puts it in the same category as Rinvoq (upadacitinib) and Cibinqo (abrocitinib).

Opzelura (ruxolitinib) is a topical cream that is better than a placebo for eliminating the itch of atopic dermatitis (eczema). It does carry a black box warning, however. Prescribers are warned about an increased risk of infection or malignancies that are associated with JAK inhibitors.

Side effects of the cream include sore throat and runny nose. The biggest challenge is likely to be the cost. The list price at GoodRx is over $2,000 for one 60-gram tube.

In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of King Features, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803, or email them via their website: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com. Their newest book is “Top Screwups Doctors Make and How to Avoid Them.”